Aglaia

What do you like about your course and why?

What I love most about my course is the smaller cohort sizes, which mean that there are plenty of opportunities to get to know your peers as well as for lecturers to really get to know you as a student. This way it feels less daunting to speak up in class! However, if this is not for you, don't fret - there are many modules over the three years where us Media students overlap with Sociology and Criminology students, so there is that perfect balance between larger and smaller class sizes depending on the module. More generally, I like how diverse the content of the degree is which provides you with all the right frameworks for working in the industry. 

What do you enjoy most about Surrey?

Joining a society might be the best thing anyone can do at university. For me, it was the tennis society where I truly felt a sense of belonging. The accompanying socials that were organised helped me mingle with people on different courses and from different year groups, which aided the overall integration into student life. I also particularly enjoy the summers on campus and having a drink by the lake with friends after an intense day at the library. 

Tell us about your study abroad year

The best thing to happen to me on this course was my study exchange year in Australia. I got the opportunity to go to Monash University in Melbourne, which not only is the 3rd best university in Australia and therefore my year was academically very rewarding, it also allowed me to explore a part of the world that under normal circumstances is rather difficult. 

Increasing your personal network abroad is invaluable as you will come across people with different perspectives. It also enables you to establish connections for any future endeavours. My favourite part of my year abroad was the travelling I got to do, exploring parts of Western Australia and later on the East coast thanks to the Turing Grant. 

Taking the step to move overseas feels so fulfilling in hindsight, especially as you notice the amount of growth you did in that time and how much more confident you have become!

What do you want to do when you graduate?

Nowadays, media and communications is needed in a majority of sectors worldwide which is naturally useful, and feels easy, however having so many options makes it difficult to narrow things down. Since I did not choose to do a placement year in the industry, my next steps include finding placements in a variety of sectors so that I can find a point of interest for my future career. 

Through my year in Australia, I have also come to the realisation that I would like to continue travelling and exploring new countries so I will be looking closely at work opportunities abroad. 

What's your advice to new students?

I would definitely recommend to take advantage of the four year course option with either a work placement or an exchange year. This way you would get practical hands-on experiences or you would be exposed to a different university with different modules. Students should understand that the Media and Communication course at Surrey is very theoretical so I would highly reconsider if you are an individual wanting a more practical, creative course. However having said that, our assignments are not all tedious essays, there are some fun variations!